’Tis much he dares;51
And to that dauntless temper of his mind
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor
To act in safety. There is none but he
Whose being I do fear; and under him
My genius is rebuked, as it is said56
Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid the sisters57
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And bade them speak to him. Then, prophetlike,
They hailed him father to a line of kings.60
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown
And put a barren scepter in my grip,
Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If’t be so,
65 For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered;
67 Put rancors in the vessel of my peace
68 Only for them, and mine eternal jewel
69 Given to the common enemy of man
70 To make them kings–the seeds of Banquo kings.
71 Rather than so, come, Fate, into the list,
72 And champion me to th’ utterance. Who’s there?
Enter Servant and two Murderers.
[To Servant]
Now go to the door and stay there till we call.
Exit Servant.
Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
MURDERERS
It was, so please your highness.
MACBETH Well then, now
Have you considered of my speeches? Know
That it was he, in the times past, which held you
78 So under fortune, which you thought had been
Our innocent self. This I made good to you
80 In our last conference, passed in probation with you
81 How you were borne in hand, how crossed; the instruments;
82 Who wrought with them; and all things else that might
83 To half a soul and to a notion crazed
Say “Thus did Banquo.”
FIRST MURDERER You made it known to us.
MACBETH
I did so; and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find86
Your patience so predominant in your nature
That you can let this go? Are you so gospeled88
To pray for this good man and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave90
And beggared yours forever?91
FIRST MURDERER We are men, my liege.
MACBETH
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,92
As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,93
Shoughs, waterrugs, and demiwolves are clept94
All by the name of dogs. The valued file95
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
The housekeeper, the hunter, every one97
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him closed, whereby he does receive99
Particular addition, from the bill100
That writes them all alike; and so of men.
Now, if you have a station in the file,102
Not i’ th’ worst rank of manhood, say’t;
And I will put that business in your bosoms104
Whose execution takes your enemy off,105
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.
SECOND MURDERER I am one, my liege,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
110 Have so incensed that I am reckless what
I do to spite the world.
FIRST MURDERER And I another,
So weary with disasters, tugged with fortune,
113 That I would set my life on any chance
114 To mend it or be rid on’t.
MACBETH Both of you
Know Banquo was your enemy.
MURDERERS True, my lord.
MACBETH
116 So is he mine, and in such bloody distance
That every minute of his being thrusts
118 Against my near’st of life; and though I could
With barefaced power sweep him from my sight
120 And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not,
121 For certain friends that are both his and mine,
122 Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall
Who I myself struck down. And thence it is
That I to your assistance do make love,
Masking the business from the common eye
For sundry weighty reasons.
SECOND MURDERER We shall, my lord,
Perform what you command us.
FIRST MURDERER Though our lives–
MACBETH
Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most
I will advise you where to plant yourselves,
130 Acquaint you with the perfect spy o’ th’ time
The moment on’t, for’t must be done tonight
132 And something from the palace–always thought
That I require a clearness; and with him,133
To leave no rubs nor botches in the work,134
Fleance his son, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father’s, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart;
I’ll come to you anon.
MURDERERS We are resolved, my lord.
MACBETH
I’ll call upon you straight. Abide within.140
It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.
Exeunt.
III.2Enter Macbeth’s Lady and a Servant.
LADY MACBETH
Is Banquo gone from court?
SERVANT
Ay, madam, but returns again tonight.
LADY MACBETH
Say to the king I would attend his leisure
For a few words.
SERVANT Madam, I will.
Exit.
LADY MACBETH
Nought’s had, all’s spent,
Where our desire is got without content.
’Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
Enter Macbeth.
How now, my lord? Why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making,10
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
12 With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard. What’s done is done.
MACBETH
14 We have scorched the snake, not killed it.
15 She’ll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.
17 But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
20 That shake us nightly. Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,
22 Than on the torture of the mind to lie
23 In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave;
After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well.
Treason has done his worst: nor steel nor poison,
26 Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing,
Can touch him further.
LADY MACBETH Come on.
Gentle my lord, sleek o’er your rugged looks;
Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.
MACBETH
30 So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you.
31 Let your remembrance apply to Banquo;
32 Present him eminence both with eye and tongue:
33 Unsafe the while, that we must lave
Our honors in these flattering streams
35 And make our faces vizards to our hearts,
36 Disguising what they are.
LADY MACBETH You must leave this.
MACBETH
O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife.
Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.
LADY MACBETH
But in them Nature’s copy’s not eterne.39
MACBETH
There’s comfort yet; they are assailable.40
Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown
His cloistered flight, ere to black Hecate’s summons
The shard-born beetle with his drowsy hums43
Hath rung night’s yawning peal, there shall be done
A deed of dreadful note.
LADY MACBETH What’s to be done?
MACBETH
Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,46
Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night,47
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,48
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond50
Which keeps me pale. Light thickens, and the crow
Makes wing to th’ rooky wood.52
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night’s black agents to their preys do rouse.
Thou marvel’st at my words, but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
So prithee go with me.
Exeunt.
Macbeth
III.3Enter three Murderers.
FIRST MURDERER
But who did bid thee join with us?
THIRD MURDERER Macbeth.
SECOND MURDERER
2 He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers
3 Our offices and what we have to do
4 To the direction just.
FIRST MURDERER Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.
6 Now spurs the lated traveler apace
7 To gain the timely inn, and near approaches
The subject of our watch.
THIRD MURDERER Hark, I hear horses.
BANQUO Within
Give us a light there, ho!
SECOND MURDERER
10 Then ’tis he: the rest
11 That are within the note of expectation
Already are i’ th’ court.
13FIRST MURDERER His horses go about.
THIRD MURDERER
Almost a mile; but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to th’ palace gate
Make it their walk.
Enter Banquo and Fleance, with a torch.
SECOND MURDERER A light, a light!
THIRD MURDERER ’Tis he.
FIRST MURDERER Stand to’t.
BANQUO
20 It will be rain tonight.
FIRST MURDERER Let it come down!
BANQUO
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
[Exit Fleance.]
Thou mayst revenge–O slave!
[Banquo slain.]
THIRD MURDERER
Who did strike out the light?23
FIRST MURDERER Was’t not the way?
THIRD MURDERER
There’s but one down: the son is fled.
SECOND MURDERER
We have lost best half of our affair.
FIRST MURDERER
Well, let’s away, and say how much is done.
Exeunt.
III.4Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady [Macbeth], Ross, Lennox, Lords, and Attendants.
MACBETH
You know your own degrees–sit down:1
At first and last the hearty welcome.
LORDS
Thanks to your majesty.
MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society4
And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time6
We will require her welcome.
LADY MACBETH
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends,
For my heart speaks they are welcome. Enter First Murderer.
MACBETH
10 See, they encounter thee with their hearts’ thanks.
Both sides are even. Here I’ll sit i’ th’ midst.
Be large in mirth; anon we’ll drink a measure
The table round. [Goes to Murderer.]
There’s blood upon thy face.
FIRST MURDERER ’Tis Banquo’s then.
MACBETH
’Tis better thee without than he within.
Is he dispatched?
FIRST MURDERER My lord, his throat is cut:
That I did for him.
MACBETH Thou art the best o’ th’ cutthroats.
Yet he’s good that did the like for Fleance:
19 If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil.
FIRST MURDERER
20 Most royal sir, Fleance is scaped.
MACBETH
21 Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect;
22 Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
23 As broad and general as the casing air.
24 But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in
25 To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo’s safe?
FIRST MURDERER
Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides,
27 With twenty trenchèd gashes on his head,
The least a death to nature.
MACBETH Thanks for that.
There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled29
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,30
No teeth for th’ present. Get thee gone. Tomorrow
We’ll hear ourselves again.
Exit Murderer.32
LADY MACBETH My royal lord,
You do not give the cheer.
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